Tonight, I went to the website of a local church to see what was new and if I could see a picture or something of a friend I haven’t seen in a while who attends the church. I eventually stumbled across the “lead” pastor’s blog (that can be found here), in which an entry entitled “Significant Church” endorses Joel Osteen. There are pictures of he and Osteen side by side, and I couldn’t help but leave a comment.

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Mr. Bledsoe,

I know a person who goes to your church, and a while back, this person denounced Joel Osteen for not speaking about sin, holding to the greedy ‘prosperity doctrine,’ and for pampering his congregation by taking scripture out of context and by using only the positive parts of the text, all the while, focusing on seeker-sensitivity.

I am appalled that you would endorse such a person. Watch the video(s) on Google where Osteen dances around the message of the Gospel to appease the listeners of the Larry King show. King asked, “If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They’re (Muslims, Jews, Hindus, etc) wrong, aren’t they?” And Osteen replies, “Well, I don’t know if I believe they’re wrong.” It wasn’t until AFTER he was swamped with emails and messages that he issued an apology.

You can also look up a video on YouTube called ‘Osteen Said What?’, in which he (in his own sermon) twists certain scriptures such as Ephesians 1:4 to keep “his” flock blind.

In an audio sermon called Speaking Faith Filled Words (Tape #223), Osteen says, “Start calling in victory. Start calling in divine health. Start calling in abundance. You can prophesize your future.” Everything is you-you-you. What about God’s will? What about seeking God’s face and not our own words that lack wisdom and understanding? What did James say about the tongue?

Paul endured afflictions, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, sleeplessness, and hunger as mentioned in 2 Cor 6:4-5. He goes on to say in verse 10 that as servants of God, they were “poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.”

Paul says in 2 Cor 8:9 that for our sakes Jesus “became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (in the richness of salvation, not worldly material wealth).

Paul also says in Philippians 3:8-9, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him.” He counted ALL things he did possess to be loss, even though he suffered the loss of all things.

And finally, Paul speaks about contentment in 2 Cor 12:9-10 saying, “And [Jesus] has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ ” Paul continues, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Notice that he was WELL content with difficulties and distresses. In Philippians 4:11 he says, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” And in 1 Timothy 6:8, “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.”

Adding to the point of contentment, the writer of Hebrews writes in chapter 13, verses 5 & 6, “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,’ so that we confidently say, ‘THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?’” The LORD is our helper, not OUR words or OUR attitude or mindset.

Having been to your church on numerous occasions, I don’t know why I’m surprised that you support such a person and his teachings. I am more saddened that good people, like the person mentioned in the beginning, sit in the pews of your church and are influenced by who influences you.

I hope you approve this comment, and if not, thank you for your time.